Hi Guys, another noob !
I am going into decorating t-shirts and want to know if my thinking is correct from the start. I have already purchased some equipment but I know there is still a lot to get.
I have read the pros and cons of the various methods of t-shirt decoration but would like to offer a whole package and I know it is going to be difficult learning all these methods in one go !
Below is my thinking and please tell me how 'Warped' it is and don't hold back !
Screen Printing: This method I will use to produce my bulk stock obviously my designs will change but this method is best geared to printing in quantity.
Vinyl cutter and heat press: I will use this method to produce 'one-offs' or short runs, mainly single colour designs ideal say for producing hen/stag night t-shirts.
Vinyl cutter, heat press & transfer paper. Again for shorter runs and applying more intricate logos or multi-colour designs onto a garment.
Now I may be shooting wide of the target with these thoughts, but they are only thoughts of a noob and by no means meant to cause offence to anyone. It's your advice I seek and welcome all comments.
when you start to become a one stop shop in the beginning, you become a master of none. Start slowly, outsource to begin, try to keep debt down and take it one step at a time
Yup, that's about right. Some processes are a lot easier than others, so it might not be taking on too much. You'll want to concentrate on one thing at a time, but that might mean spending a week on one, a week on another, then six months on the screenprinting
Of the three options, the screenprinting will be the hardest to master. Not that the concept is rocket science....but it is a "skilled art"
Don't forget that you can do the plastisol heat transfers with the heat press for medium to high volumes. If you still feel that you want to learn screenprinting, this give you the ability to offer up screenprinted designs while you take your time learning. Another route is to outsource the screenprinting during this time period.
We've bounced back and forth between the plastisol and outsourcing and do primarily plastisol except for 500+ orders....then we will consider a screenprinter.
I too have the desire to learn screenprinting (this opinion may change after learning it and doing it for a while.... ) We've just hired a retired screenprinter who sold his business about a year ago and is bored. He is going to get our used press that we bought up and running and teach us how to do it in the process. if all goes well, we are going to open a screenprinting business in a building right across the street. We don't want to just be "screenprinters" as we consider ourselves garment decorators and use a variety of methods currently (plastisol, vinyl, DTG, inkjet transfers, sublimation, & screenprinting) depending on what the customers needs.
__________________ Big Daddy Screenprinting -Affordable contract Heat Press Services & Low Volume Screen Printing up to 4 spot colors with no setup or screen fees
Jonh, Lewis & Charles thanks for your answers, this was my early fear I didn't want to become ' a jack of all trades and master of none'.
I think I will try and master the 'big one' first (screen printing) we will be manufacturing in a shop unit and selling our product on the premises on local markets and online. So I think we should turn our immediate attention to making some stock product.
If in the early days we don't advertise the fact that we do 'one off' designs we can master those processes in time, then introduce it when we are confident.
Another question, I was talking to a screen printer who mentioned that I could screen print a design in reverse onto greaseproof paper and store it, giving the customer the option to choose a colour of t-shirt and one of your pre-printed designs, then heat pressing that design onto that shirt, is this possible?
Another question, I was talking to a screen printer who mentioned that I could screen print a design in reverse onto greaseproof paper and store it, giving the customer the option to choose a colour of t-shirt and one of your pre-printed designs, then heat pressing that design onto that shirt, is this possible?
Regards
Phil
Yes...this is the plastisol transfer I mentioned. You can either buy them from other companies (F&M, Ace, First Edition, etc.) or you can learn to make them yourself. Stocking designs to only produce as needed is an advantage but the downside is that you will be "pressing" twice. Once onto the paper and then later onto the shirt. That is if you do it yourself. Some folks use this method to run some extras after printing a job for a customer to allow them to come back and add additional shirts later and avoid having to re-setup the job.
John
__________________ Big Daddy Screenprinting -Affordable contract Heat Press Services & Low Volume Screen Printing up to 4 spot colors with no setup or screen fees
Thanks John, this is another process to get my head around, I see what you mean though about pressing twice. The benefit though is that you could just stock blank t-shirts in all sizes and colours and have a portfolio of designs on the counter and press size and design to order.
My current supplier of printed shirts sells in packs of 6 at a ratio of 1x small 2x medium 2x large 1x xlarge and I always seem to build up quantities of the small sizes which normally results in me selling these cheap to clear ! Plastisol transfers could be the answer to this.
Following a quick Google search there does not seem to be a major supplier of Plastisol Transfers here in the U.K and I have imported from the U.S.A in the past and import duty makes things expensive !
So I can see that if I am to go this route I have no option but to make these transfers up myself !
Anybody in the U.K buying or making Plastisol Transfers?
Am I going into this thinking right ? 
. I have already purchased some equipment but I know there is still a lot to get.
